Relief
by numberf1ve
Summary: The repairs to Hogwarts have almost been completed. Harry has gone to clear his head; Ron and Hermione have a heart-to-heart and Ginny has a bad day that ends surprisingly well.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

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The war was won. The dead were buried and tears all shed. Pockets of remaining Death Eaters were being rounded up by the aurors nearly daily-in some cases, even turning themselves in hoping for lenience.

At Hogwarts, the effort to rebuild was finally winding down. It had taken eight months of intense work to set things right. Professor McGonagall, surprising no one, had been named permanent headmistress of the school and was now settled into the headmaster's office, her desk sitting just beneath Dumbledore's smiling portrait.

Harry had been gone about a week. He desperately needed to take a break from the madness that had been his life for the last eight years (eighteen, if he really wanted to be honest about it) and now that the repairs were largely complete, he finally allowed himself to take that break. With Harry gone and Ron curiously keeping to himself, Hermione was most often either with Ginny or on her own these days.

The female member of The Golden Trio sat in one of the two large squashy chairs by the fire in the Gryffindor common room after dinner. She had taken to doing so almost every evening after the day's work was done. She was staring into the flames, lost in thought. It just so happened that her thoughts currently centered on Ginny.

When the war ended, Harry had tried unsuccessfully to renew his relationship with the youngest Weasley. Ginny refused him. Hermione tried to get Ginny to tell her what happened but the redhead would only say that he was no longer what she wanted. Hermione wondered absently what it was that Ginny wanted. Or who. Thoughts of Ginny often distracted the brunette these days. She bit down lightly on her lower lip as her thoughts continued to wander over the redheaded witch.

She did not hear Ron walk up beside her and kneel down. He waited for a moment then cleared his throat, pulling her back to the present, "Hi, Ron," she turned and smiled at her friend. Her face immediately contorted with concern as their eyes met and his appeared troubled, "Ron? What is it?" she asked anxiously. After all they had been through, she could not imagine what would have him looking as he did, like he might run and hide at any second. She shifted in the chair, hand automatically closing around her wand.

She stared hard at the boy, willing him to speak. Alarmingly, he seemed to be trembling slightly and his lengthy pause before answering did nothing to relieve her worry. "Ronald!" she said a bit louder growing desperate for a response, "What is wrong?" She emphasized the first and last words to prompt him into speech. Finally he spoke, reaching out to take Hermione's hand in his own, "Hermione, I love you," he said. Her brow furrowed at his words, it was not the sort of statement she expected to accompany his odd behavior. "Er...yeah, I love you too, Ron," she replied somewhat confusedly, giving his hands a gentle squeeze.

Hermione found it puzzling that Ron seemed even more frightened and upset now. He also looked as though his courage was fading. The brunette had a fleeting, somewhat nauseating thought that he might be about to propose but she shook it off, praying that wasn't the case. Still worried, she pressed him, "What is it?" He looked at her and drew a deep breath, his courage would hold-it had to. "Hermione, I love you," he began again, swallowing hard, "but...I'm not..._in love _with you." He paused for a moment, trying and failing to read the strange look on Hermione's face, before barreling on, "I thought I was. I mean all the signs were there...and, see, there was so much going on...and. Well...when we kissed I knew...I knew that I loved you but...not like that. More like another sister. Please...I'm so so sorry it took this long for me to say but I just didn't want to hurt you. I don't want to lose you. Merlin's Beard! I always want you in my life...I just...don't wanna snog you..." he stopped talking only because he had completely run out of air.

Ron pulled air into his now burning lungs, dropped his eyes to the floor and waited for Hermione to react: to punch him or hex him or tell him off or something. He knew it was coming and waited quietly for it. The nervous redhead was thoroughly unprepared for what came next as Hermione flung herself out of the chair and into his arms, hugging him tightly and laughing, "Oh, Ron! That is so wonderful!" she managed to squeak out as she kissed him on the cheek. "It is?" he replied quizzically, "I thought you'd be devastated."

Ron felt an odd mixture of confusion and relief as he pushed himself up and into the chair behind him while Hermione sat back down in the other. Hermione was smiling ear to ear as she stared at the boy across from her. He was her best friend, her brother in arms, her brother, "Yes. It is wonderful. It's wonderful because I feel the same way and have been wondering for weeks how to tell you." She met his eyes, blushing slightly that he had found his courage before her. She continued, "Why do you think I've been sort of distant? Why haven't we so much as kissed since the war? I knew then too. I love you a best friend and brother. Nothing less than that...but nothing more, either."

Ron was so surprised at this turn of events that he had completely forgotten which side of the argument he was on, "What do you mean you aren't in love me?! We kissed! We've gone through hell together. What about that time in the Room of Requirement? Did you not enjoy our kiss? Of course you must have! I'm a great kisser! Just ask..." fortunately his mind caught up with the situation just at that moment and he had enough sense not to finish this last as Hermione's eyes still flashed dangerously at the mention of Lavender Brown in relation to Ron.

He sat in the oversized chair gawking at Hermione, his mouth hung open, ears now matching his hair. She just stared at him for a moment, then burst into laughter again, "Ron. What are you on about? You just said you don't have romantic feelings for me either!" Hermione clutched at her sides as she tried to calm her giggles. Ron closed his mouth for a moment, his face reddening even further, and muttered, "Oh yeah, right! Well, um, that's a relief then...I guess." His face twisted into an awkward smile as he stared at Hermione, who was trying desperately to bite back the laughter threatening to tear through her again. He watched her face turn red and after a few seconds he began laughing. Hermione's composure quickly dissolved again into giggles. It was the best laugh either had had since before the war, filled with relief, and happiness and love (just not that kind.)

After their laughter died down, Ron hugged Hermione again and left the tower to find George. The older Weasley had apparently made a bet with Ron that Hermione would hex him into next week when he told her the truth of his feelings, or lack thereof. Hermione rolled her eyes at the thought and decided to go see Ginny. She knew the young witch was in her room as she had heard the door slam only a short while ago. The redhead must have had a bad day. She seemed to be having more and more of those lately. The brunette also knew that if Ginny heard that her brother had broken things off, she would likely hex first and ask questions later, especially if she was in a bad mood. Amused by her train of thought, Hermione climbed the stairs toward the dormitory her friend occupied. Seconds later she heard the sound of breaking glass and sprinted the last several stairs ready to fight.

Ginny was exhausted and in a terrible mood. She just needed everyone to stay out of her way for a while. Her hands were balled into fists by her sides and she grumbled angrily to herself as she approached the portrait of the fat lady. She had even skipped dinner, which for a Weasley was quite a big deal. The youngest of the Weasleys planned to go fly to help her relax and hopefully improve her attitude. "Phoenix fire," she grumped at the painting covering the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. The portrait swung open and Ginny stepped inside, ignoring the Fat Lady's huffy response to redhead's grouchy demeanor. She entered the common room just in time to see Hermione launch herself into Ron's arms.

Ginny's jaw tightened and she felt her cheeks getting red, tears stung at the corners of her eyes. She strode quickly across the room and up the stairs to the sixth year girls' dormitory, which currently doubled as her room. She slammed the door behind her and began to pace the floor, her mood having instantly gone from bad to worse, "Fucking wonderful!" Ginny said to herself through clenched teeth, "Just what I needed. Really makes my day!"

She walked back and forth across the stone floor, her mind reeling. After several minutes, she stopped pacing right in front of her mirror and looked at the red, tear-filled eyes staring back at her, "Why does she have to be with my fucking brother?" she felt the frustration building, fast losing control of her Weasley temper.

Ginny glanced again at her reflection bitterly and, without thinking, she slammed her fist hard into the mirror. The glass shattered, raining shards down onto the dormitory floor. Ginny surveyed the broken pieces of mirror now littering the floor and actually found herself feeling a little better. She chuckled sadly as she knelt down to pick up the pieces, noticing for the first time that her hand was bleeding. Just then, there was a loud knock on the door and Ginny heard Hermione's voice call out to her, "Ginny? I'm coming in!"

Ginny tried to discourage the intrusion, "'Mione, no. I'm fine. Don't co..." but before she could say anything else, the brunette was standing beside her, wand drawn, "Ginny! Your hand! What happened? You're hurt! My goodness! Come here," she pulled Ginny, amid protests, to her feet and guided the younger girl over to the bed and sat her down taking the redhead's hand in her own. Ginny stared at her hand, blood trickled from her knuckles while tears ran down her cheeks against her will. Hermione muttered a quick spell over Ginny's hand, mending the gashes easily, "Thanks," Ginny responded without looking up. Then the clever brunette waved her wand in the direction of the broken mirror, "Reparo," she said with a slightly quavering voice before turning back to her friend, the mirror once again in one piece.

She eyed the redhead intently for a minute before speaking, her heart was breaking for the girl and she wanted nothing more than to help. Hermione reached up to wipe the tears from Ginny's face only to have the redhead pull away from her hand. Ginny's reaction hurt the older girl but she tried not to let it show, "Ginny, this isn't like you. What is it? What's wrong? Is this about Harry? You can tell me anything, you know. Please, let me help you. Whatever the problem is, I'm sure we can solve it."

Ginny sat motionless with a strange sort of sad smile. At length, she sighed heavily and spoke, her voice was ragged and tired, "It's not Harry. It hasn't been Harry in a long time," Ginny paused long enough to swallow hard. She could feel the older witch's gaze on her, "It's you, Hermione. You are the problem."

Hermione was taken aback, "Me?! I'm the problem? What did I do, Gin? I don't understand," she furrowed her brow as a wave of sadness crashed over her. What had she done to hurt the youngest Weasley? Hermione wracked her brain, but could find no answer.

Ginny shook her head, still not looking up from her lap, "Well...I guess it isn't you...exactly. It's just...I can't stand it any more, 'Mione. I just...can't."

Ginny moved to get up, but Hermione took hold of her arm, "Can't what, Gin? Tell me. Please," she sounded on the verge of tears.

The redhead pulled her arm out of the older girl's grasp, "I like you." Hermione was perplexed by this answer, "Ginny, I like you too. You're my best friend."

Ginny scoffed, "No. You don't get it. I don't just like you. I...I want you. I bloody love you, all right. You're all I think about now. And you're with my brother...my fucking brother," she could feel her temper rising and stood from the bed, resuming her restless pacing.

Hermione stared after her, dumbfounded, her heart and mind racing, _'S__he's in love with me?'_

Ginny finally got up the nerve to look Hermione in the eye. The brunette was simply breathtaking, even in her current state, "I can't keep seeing you two together. It just..." the young witch shrugged, "It hurts too much." The image of Hermione in Ron's arms not ten minutes before flashed through Ginny's mind making her feel sick. She made her way to her bed and pulled her Firebolt out from under it, "I can't. I gotta go. I'm sorry," she said as she set out for the window.

Hermione could not speak, her voice had left her, but she was not going to sit there and let Ginny leave. She jumped up to stand between Ginny and the window, "So, you're just going to tell me something like that and then run away? Not even going to let me respond or try to explain?" Hermione felt her face flush with anger as Ginny pushed past her "I have never known you to be a coward, Gin."

Ginny stopped in her tracks and wheeled around, staring at the brunette, "I don't want to walk in on you two rolling around on the floor again...Merlin's Fucking Balls, Hermione! Right in the middle of the common room!"

Hermione was shocked by the implication, as well as the language the younger girl used, she responded, her voice shaking, "That was nothing! It was not what you think, Ginny."

The redhead angrily interrupted, "I know what I saw."

Hermione held her temper as best she could, but could feel rage building within her, "You have no idea what you saw!" she practically shouted, surprising both Ginny and herself. She took a deep breath before continuing more quietly, "For your information, your brother just told me he had no romantic feelings for me and I was hugging him out of relief because I don't feel that way about him either. We are just friends and now each of us is free to pursue relationships with other people. I am finally free to go after the one I want...the one I am really in love with...you."

Ginny's mouth hung open as she stared at the beautiful creature in front of her, the reality of what she said sinking in. Hermione dropped her gaze from the youngest Weasley's emerald green eyes and looked down at the floor; she laughed dryly, "This...is not the way I ever envisioned telling you..."

Without another word, Ginny let her broom fall to the floor as she closed the distance between herself and Hermione, pressing her lips firmly to the brunette's. Hermione moaned softly, melting into the kiss, and wrapped her arms tightly around Ginny's waist, pulling her closer. The redhead responded in kind, placing one hand on the small of Hermione's back while the other wound itself into her hair, deepening the kiss. The older girl felt Ginny's tongue running softly along her lower lip, begging entry, and Hermione happily obliged, reveling in the contact as their tongues danced and twirled around each other. The need for air eventually forced the girls to break apart. Ginny pulled back slightly, panting as she gazed into Hermione's smiling face, "Hi," she said shyly, resting her forehead against the brunette's. Hermione blushed, opening her eyes slowly, "Hi," she replied, tightening her grip on the younger girl's waist.


	2. Chapter 2

The two girls stood, arms wrapped around one another, for what seemed like hours when a wide smile broke across Ginny's face. Before Hermione could react, the redhead lifted her into the air, spinning the pair around and around over the stone floor. Hermione squealed delightedly as she held tight to the younger girl. Ginny could not remember a time when she felt as happy as she did holding the brunette bookworm close. She found herself surprised that one heart could even hold so much happiness.

Absorbed in the moment, neither girl noticed as Crookshanks cluelessly strolled into the room and right into the girls' path. Still twirling the brunette, Ginny just managed to catch a glimpse of the cat as he walked toward the pair and lay down in the way.

"Crookshanks! You great lump! Look out," Ginny exclaimed as she tried to dance around the fat feline at her feet, still holding Hermione off the ground. The cat just rolled over onto his back and stretched out, further complicating Ginny's efforts to avoid stepping on him. The redhead quickly began to stumble and fell backward, landing comfortably on her bed. Hermione, of course, fell with her. The bushy-haired girl of Ginny's dreams came to rest on top of her, a lopsided grin spreading over her lips. Looking up into Hermione's face, Ginny almost wanted to thank the ginger oaf of a cat for tripping her. Crookshanks simply continued to laze on the floor, completely unfazed by his recent brush with Ginny's boots.

Hermione was still laughing, her eyes reflecting Ginny's own feelings perfectly, as she moved to get off the younger girl. Ginny's smile suddenly disappeared as she became very serious, catching the brunette by the upper arm and pulling her down into a gentle kiss. Hermione's eyes fluttered closed as she leaned further into Ginny, tugging insistently at her bottom lip with her teeth, begging to deepen the kiss. The redhead moaned, arching her back in effort to get closer. Hermione took full advantage of the moan, her tongue quickly entering, dancing eagerly with Ginny's and exploring her mouth with care. The girls were again parted after a time. Ginny cursed her body's infernal need for air, opening her eyes slowly when the kiss ended.

Lust-darkened green eyes locked onto hazel ones. Hermione was smiling down at her with want and love and something Ginny could not quite place but looked an awful lot like mischief. The older girl flicked her wand in the general direction of the door, locking it and silencing the room. Ginny raised her eyebrows curiously at the brunette, surprised to find that the casual wave of her wand had somehow also rid the younger girl of her shirt.

Hermione's eyes wandered over the newly exposed skin, a seductive smile quickly overtaking her features. The older girl shifted her body slightly, moving her thigh in between Ginny's legs, pressing lightly against her core. The redhead gasped at the contact, rolling her hips slowly as she reached up to seize Hermione's mouth once more.

Ginny allowed her hands to roam over the brunette's back, pressing their bodies closer together. She tugged gently at the hem of the older girl's top. Hermione groaned and pulled away abruptly, jerking her shirt up and over her head, tossing it carelessly aside. Confronted with the near naked torso, Ginny felt a rush of lust that sent heat and moisture flooding to her center. She reached up and gripped the back of Hermione's neck, pulling her into a much rougher, needier kiss.

The brunette was caught off-guard by the raw passion displayed by the redhead who had managed to roll the pair over, pinning her wrists over her head. Hermione moaned loudly as Ginny busied herself kissing along Hermione's jawline and down her neck, pausing only to suck gently on the soft skin of the older girl's pulse point, leaving a mark. The younger girl eyed her handiwork with pride and continued to nibble and kiss her way down Hermione's torso, enjoying the feel of skin against skin, encouraged by moans and sighs coming from the girl beneath her.

Without warning, Ginny's stomach rumbled softly and though Ginny herself did not seem to hear it, Hermione let out a small giggle as she lifted her head to look at her friend, she knew the fiery redhead must have skipped dinner, "Mmmm...Gin, as much as I want to keep going, we should go to the kitchens and find some food for you."

Ginny flatly refused the suggestion that she stop what she was doing, replying huskily, "Not." **_Kiss._** "Hungry." **_Kiss_.**

Ginny's touch set Hermione's skin on fire and, with a quiet moan, she lay back again, more than willing to forget about food for the redhead when Ginny's stomach, once again, growled, this time so loudly that it could be neither ignored nor denied. Ginny's hands released Hermione's wrists and flew to cover her own rapidly reddening face, "Un-bloody-believable!" she groaned, her arousal displaced by the sudden humiliation. Hermione glanced up at her with adoration, meeting a look of embarrassment, lust and frustration on the face of her favorite redhead.

The brunette suppressed a giggle and instead allowed a small moan to escape her lips followed by a sigh, "To be continued, then," she said with a smile, leaning up to place a gentle kiss on the other girl's forehead.

Ginny was embarrassed and angry that such a perfect moment had been ruined, all because of her stupid stomach. She cursed herself for skipping dinner earlier, "I'm sorry," she muttered dejectedly, "I ruined everything".

Surprised at the younger girl's tone, Hermione spoke again, "It's ok, Gin. You didn't ruin anything. We have all the time in the world." She reached down and took Ginny's hand in her own, squeezing it reassuringly.

Ginny met Hermione's gaze, "Yeah?"

"Yeah," the brunette replied, giving her hand another gentle squeeze.

The redhead sat up and smiled, "You're the best, Hermione! Really Brilliant! How can I ever make it up to you?" she asked as she handed the older girl her shirt and straightened her clothing in preparation for the walk through the castle to the kitchens.

Hermione pulled her shirt over her head and sighed, her skin still felt electrified from Ginny's attentions, her core aching for contact, "Never skip a meal again," she responded, still smiling.

"Deal!" Ginny grinned as she took Hermione's hand and they walked toward the kitchens together.


End file.
